Grace mauls Mnangagwa

HARARE - Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s political career in Zanu PF is hanging in the balance, after First Lady Grace Mugabe launched a thinly-veiled frontal attack on President Robert Mugabe’s embattled deputy yesterday.

The powerful First Lady ominously accused Mnangagwa — among a litany of other deadly charges — of deception, faking love for President Robert Mugabe, and in fact working feverishly to topple the long-ruling nonagenarian from power.

Addressing thousands of Zanu PF supporters at her latest no-holds-barred rally at Kanyemba Secondary School in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central, Grace — who referred to herself as mafirakureva (Shona for truth teller) — also said pointedly that all those senior party officials who were angling to succeed Mugabe would be disappointed.

“Vanoti Mugabe achembera ngaabve, ivo vachiri vadiki here? (Those who say Mugabe is old and therefore must relinquish power are not young themselves),” she said in remarks that senior party officials present at the rally said were directed at 74-year-old Mnangagwa.

“It’s God who is saying Mugabe be there, because He wants him to accomplish certain tasks. That’s why he can manage to do the things he is doing as the president,” she added.

From left: Saviour Kasukuwere, Jonathan Moyo, Phelekezela Mphoko and Grace Mugabe during a rally at Kanyemba Secondary School in Chiweshe. Pic: Annie Mpalume

Although the first lady never mentioned any names directly in her address, she said she would do so at her next rallies if the plotters continued in their ways, further insinuating that Mnangagwa was ungrateful for having been given the post that he currently occupied by Mugabe, after the brutal 2014 purging of former Vice President Joice Mujuru.

“Some people ... have overstayed their welcome. Vagarisa ... asi tichavayanika pachena (we will expose these plotters) at the next rally, watch this space.

“We are not fools. We have seen people, among them youths, wearing T-shirts with Zimbabwean flags labelled Lacoste, and when we asked them they said Lacoste is a perfume. We are not fools.

“Do not take us for fools. They will not take over from Mugabe. I will rather put him in a wheelbarrow to work because we have realised that those we thought were being groomed as leaders are sell-outs. We no longer have confidence in them,” Grace charged.

She also said that the people who were behind the party’s succession machinations were not happy that she was distributing tractors and groceries to people.

“They say I am being propped up because I want to be in charge. I am already in charge, I am the first lady and you heard Vice President Mphoko giving you the hierarchy, with Mugabe and myself at the top. So what more power would I want? I am in charge already and that is enough,” she said.

Speaking earlier, Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko also took a dig at Team Lacoste, saying that there was a dangerous misconception being created within the party that the next president should come from the Karanga ethnic group — the biggest Shona sub-group to which Mnangagwa belongs.

“There is nowhere in the Constitution where it says the country was liberated by a Ndebele, Karanga or Zezuru. The Constitution says the country was liberated by Zapu and Zanu. So what we are hearing now, that since Mugabe is Zezuru, the next should be a Karanga is misplaced. It will not succeed,” he said.

The First Lady also suggested that Mugabe’s close lieutenants wanted to kill her youngest son Bellarmine Chatunga. She further said the recent attempted bombing at the First Family’s dairy farm in Mazowe was meant to intimidate them to hand over power now to the successionists.

“You are so cruel and you want me to respect you? Do not play with me because the people you tell will report to us. People will pass a vote of no confidence in you and when that happens you start complaining that the rate at which people are being sacked is too much and that it has never happened before in the history of the party.

“Now it pains you because you are now the target. But you were smiling when it happened to others.

“Is that fair to want to kill my son Bellarmine so as to intimidate us into handing over power to you? Can we go that far? You are mad. There is no vacancy at State House. I am still there,” she fumed, adding that “there will only be a vacancy at State House when you die yourself”.

“We know that you treat me as Mugabe’s mistress, posting Sally’s (Mugabe’s late first wife’s) pictures saying she was better, yet we have never talked about your pool of girlfriends and thousands of children,” she added.

Grace also went to town savaging The Herald newspaper and defending Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo’s use of social media in his recent fights with Mnangagwa’s allies.

“I felt ashamed on Wednesday at the politburo meeting as they lied to the president. They must thank heavens Mugabe has patience to listen to such lies by people he appointed.

“I do not have that patience and I had to restrain myself otherwise I would have burst ... I cannot tolerate that nonsense of being taken for a fool by my appointees.

“I was shocked when I spoke on Wednesday only to hear The Herald report that I attacked Jonathan Moyo. Why should I attack him as if he was talking to himself on Twitter?

“With all his education and intelligence how could he possibly speak to himself? You begin to see who is controlling that paper. What is happening there journalists?” she added in apparent reference to under-fire Information permanent secretary George Charamba, who stands accused of gross abuse of State media to advance Team Lacoste’s factional interests.

Grace also took a swipe at War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa for his constant bragging about his liberation war credentials.

“We respect you our war veterans but you can’t intimidate me when I am the wife of one of the biggest guerrillas. Why do you have to brag and say mai (Grace) cannot tell me anything when you are destroying the party?” she said.

Speaking at the same rally, women’s league secretary for finance, Sarah Mahoka — who savaged Mnangagwa last Wednesday — said Mugabe was God-ordained to rule forever, quoted the Bible to buttress her point.

She quoted the book of Romans which says: “Every person must obey the leaders of the land. There is no power given but from God, and all leaders are allowed by God. The person who does not obey the leaders of the land is working against what God has done. Anyone who does that will be punished.”

Comments (73)

kkkkkkkkkk....ndaseka.

dofo - 13 February 2016

'First Lady Grace Mugabe launched a thinly-veiled frontal attack on President Robert Mugabe's embattled deputy yesterday'. If the attack was thinly veiled how then did the First Lady "maul" Mnangagwa. Rubbish

Ndugu - 13 February 2016

The cat has been set among the pigeons and the result is mayhem. Although this is not good for the country's economy at present it is good for the general populace of Zimbabwe, after all this slugging followed by bloodletting, peace and stability will return to Zimbabwe. ZANU could only be stopped by ZANU, and this is it. A party of sellouts who would change principles depending on whom they were dealing, or at the sight of kerching/ mbongo/ dollardollarbillooh/Mari mapepa...Next stop is relatives of these butchers crying and collecting them from mortuaries....remember the blood of the innocent ndebeles, then of innocent white farmers, then of innocent opposition cadres, then of innocent progressive. ZANU cadres killed to silence their progressive thinking, well the enemy came in one direction, now it is being scattered in seven( factionalism-functionalism)..... Ndatenda- ndapota.

Msuuunuuu - 13 February 2016

" thinly-veiled " and "frontal attack" are exact opposites. Think the media regulator should bar people without university degrees from practising as journalists.

Tengenenge - 13 February 2016

I love it when desperate & illiterate Zanoids such as @ndugu & @Tengenenge stew in their own fat and try so hard to take Daily News apart. Gentlemen, we know that you may have "died" for this country, to use Zanu Poo language, but this is the Queen's language. Kkkkkkkkkkkkkk!

George - 13 February 2016

Ko Vhiora aripi ndiri kutsvagawo vhiora?!

SaManyika Chaiye - 13 February 2016

This can only be interpreted as desperation on the part of Grace. Otherwise nobody can find an explanation for her behaviour. The fact she goes round and round to get to Garwe is clear testimony of how futile her efforts are. She is however lucky because the Croc itself is somehow dumb. He got used by Robert for over 36 years. Now he is reaping the fruits of his dumbness.

Masamba Akareyo - Tanganda - 13 February 2016

Zanu was formed in 1963,based on priscribed principles.those same principles still stand tday.zanu is run on those principles.zanu is at war now.with its members who joined later.some cadrs wr removed frm zanu bcoz of these new members.vote of no confidences being one instrument used to rid members of the struggle.it is obviouse new entrences want to take charge of zanu,.no problem ,lets go for e tra ordinary congress.call for a congress to elect new leaders.simple.we cannot caryon winning by vote of no confidences which usualy are abused.so if anyone wants to change presidium,congress.do it now.call for it,or we will.field yo candidate n we will field ours.we always anted to respect our founding father mugabe,bt if he cant control his wife,his family,to instill the discipline in zanu we hav known,then lets do it the correct way. Congres.anytime lets do it.if g40 wins then we rally behind g40 leader,as zanu.no problem.lets go for congress.we nominate leaders wthout fear or favour.we are comrades n we have our choices.we not scared to nominate.simple.

viola gwena - 13 February 2016

So rallies r a waste of effort n time.we the comrades can organise bigger rallies.we the comrades can deal wth any situation.so our party protocol,principles cannot be ovarun by 1 woman who joined the struggle thru back door.all comrades must now come tgether n face this.congress will ditermine the way forward.

viola gwena - 13 February 2016

I think Grace and Jonathan must get rid of anyone above 65! They have lived beyond their usefulness to the country. Most steal because they are gonna die before conviction. Identify these Madalas guys and sweep them to the side. New brooms!!

@viola, I don't know how much you know about the current Zanu PF constitution. The fact is the congress is only elective only for one person/position which is Robert Mugabe/President. After that the rest of the people are appointed by Mugabe including the presidium. This is the reason why Grace is constantly reminding people that the 'people Mugabe appointed' because she knows that only Mugabe is elected and the rest of the people are just his appointees.

Inyika - 13 February 2016

Mugabe must stop this madness before it's too late. They are going to kill each other for nothing. Who said ZANU pf is going to win in 2018? . No more stealing elections and subverting the people's will. It's not gonna happen this time. We will turn Harare into hell !!!!

I wonder if such tactics still work in Zimbabwe. I thought after 36 years of suffering the people have now seen the light and can no longer be so easily be bought by such cheap politicking from this very shallow woman. I have noticed a trend with most Zimbabweans (except those few who are directly benefitting from Zanu-PF) that they have finally realised the politics of the country is that of merely using gullibles for the guys at the top to achieve their goals. Zvekushandisiwa nevamwe vanhu havachada. Ndiko saka vazhinji varikubvumirana neuyauya akati kuna Bob pa Heroes Acre gore riya: "Magamba aunotaura akafira mahara."

Bobby Sadza reZwiyo - 14 February 2016

Mutsvangwa and his wife Monica must plan ahead and form their own party in time for 2018. They could just call it War Veterans First - People Last (WVF- PL) because Grace looks like she is not impressed with war veterans any more. Better to stay ahead of the game.

Inyika - 14 February 2016

Inyika urikurasika papi.yes congress to elect zanu leader.isint all about leading zanu.team lacoste is rite,go for congress ,special congress.

chifodya - 14 February 2016

Now this lacoste is showing big balls.I like pple who stand up to a bully.

fadzi - 14 February 2016

This is a beter move for lacoste,otherwise its cming.they hv the numbers in zanu.it ws very clear recently.in zanu if yu hav masvingo ,matebeleland ,midlands,mash east,manicaland ,yu in charge.its either mugabe stops this or face a congress election for the 1st time in his life.

todii - 14 February 2016

A congres is a itemare for the 1st family.they willtry to reject it n opt for expulsions.the expulsion commetee,is vp mphoko,grace,chinamasa.only chinamasa is percievd lacoste.

gidza - 14 February 2016

Zuma faced axactly the same ,in anc,when mbeki wanted to expell him frm ANC.zuma had mo suport in ANC.so he pushed for an early elective congress which saw his team take over and he became Anc president.the rest was history for mbeki,he was recalled ,even tho he had 6 months to finnish his term.Mnangagwa hs to grab the bull by its horns,go for broke otherwise he is heading for exit.

bob - 14 February 2016

Geting out of zanu wont help mnangagwa,coz frm being out all the past atrocities of zanu will be blamed on him.his suporters wont follow him out of zanu.zvobgo said it,fira imomo.

nxa - 14 February 2016

Ehee congress ndiyo.lets see gire displaying her brains.g40s wont dare congress.they want to fire pple no hearings.all disciplanery hearings must be suspended until after congres.

hunda - 14 February 2016

This time lacoste dont allow mugabe to suggest anything else,besides congress.mugabe when he sees that g40 is getting it ,he comes in to save it.

yuba - 14 February 2016

It's no use to debate with lies... Zuma never called for an early election.Polokwane came as per schedule. The Mujuru faction had a huge following... I emphasize "huge" cause it was monumental but they found their way out. Thus politics you take your chance at any cost. In soccer you have seen that some players lost their careers due to nasty injuries perpetrated by opposing teams. In Politics you serve at the mercy or generosity of the leader. There's no fair play. @Viola organisations evolve smell the coffee...

Ngwena is getting his comeuppance and its a bitter one. I remember his smile when Mujuru was removed. He thought he had won but he was being played. I remember how pompous his side kick Drunken Rambo Mutswangwa disparaged Teurai Ropa's impeccable war history, a history that Mnangagwa himself does not possess. He only joined the war in Mozambique in 1978, a mere 2 years before Independence. Viola and other green bombers do not understand politics. Jabulani Sibanda said it all- Its a bedroom coup. Prepare for Her Excellence Dr. Gire. There is no congress that elects anyone in Mugabe's Zanu...its about vaMugabe chete chete! Shona people are naïve, they have created this Mugabe monster, calling him Gushungo yet he is just a Matibili. Mugabe is not zezuru and shona people continue peddling and living lies. Now the Karanga are crying foul, yet they used to say Mugabe ndizvo pasi na ''Ngomo'' . Well, enjoy ur Matibili Dynasty. Sometimes I wonder how far this country could have developed had we put tribalism aside and made Dr. Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo the President in 1980. The true Father Zimbabwe! It was a missed opportunity that is haunting us today. The shona made this Mugabe bed, now they must lie on it! Enjoy the nightmare!

Rasta Hero - 14 February 2016

Mujuru failed bcoz she did nt hv enuf guts,to take on .ugabe at congress.wth all her suport she herself failed to muster that courage n gt booted out.bt her suport was grassroot,not elective zanu members.ont forget the general himself wanted to challenge mugabe at congress,goromonzi.simba also did see the goodstrategy in congress bt was let dwn by his percieved followers.so yes viola,congress is mugabe s nitemare.he knows that.

This is wr we going tosee ,strategies ,winning strategies.as a nuetral ,I hv observed the lacostes being beter strategists than g40.they stoped g40 twice wthout any flexing of muscles.the countering on the qouta sestym killed g40.even wth mugabe backing they stil failed.bt on this one of expulsions,lets see lacoste s move.checkmate.will viola n friends survive this?the strategy to force a congress wil not be taken by Mugabe,at this age now.he will be removed diplomatically at this congress n replaced.

kays - 14 February 2016

@chifodya, the reason a congress will serve no purpose for the Lacoste team is that they have no guts to vote Mugabe out. What Mugabe did was to make only himself elected and then after that he will then appoint everybody else. Unless the Zanu people have the guts to say to Mugabe enough is enough they hold no chance. At this moment a special would be ideal as long as they are prepared to kick Mugabe out. Once that is done they can then kick the rest of G40 out. Easier said than done though knowing these cowards.

Inyika - 14 February 2016

Thats correct @inyika.congress thats lacoste s only hope.mugabe is ready to maul mnangagwa.kick him out ,even jailing him.so these guts hav to be summoned on n go for broke.either way its disaster for lacoste,to wait for an on rushing grace n mugabe or take on him ,force this congress.he still has his provincial chairmen .all 8 can vote for congress very soon,on time.

chifodya - 14 February 2016

Dont underrite lacoste.its not for nothinghe was building a good base of provinces.he knew it was cmng.to equate him wth mujuru is nt clever.mujuru thru n thru has bn promoted by mugabe.mnangagwa hd to be stoped by mugabe,during Dingane.he had enuf provinces to fr it.

hunda - 14 February 2016

@Viola nguva yekutaura yapera, ZANU PF purges are a blessing , go out there and form parallel structures , if what you say is true about the 7 provinces support you go and liaise from grass roots. Donot worry about the mad cow Grace now its about you and your survival donot live late. You still have 2 years till election time. Donot focus on the mad cow Grace anymore ..DONOT leave it too late ....donot be ambushed , history about your comrades is not going to give you the political relevance you need come 2018

#Gracemustfall - 14 February 2016

Isu we are already prinitng T shirts tatonono kerwa tave kuda Campaign Trail ...Ngwena need s to be known by people out there but needs you guys to start campaigning and forming parallel structures. The eye is on the 2018 ELECTIONS DONOT FOCUS ON GRACE FOCUS ON YOURSELVES AND WAYFORWARD

#Gracemustfall - 14 February 2016

Then mobilize the 7 seven provinces , to riot against the 1 centre of power crap you can not just sit and be in a state of' helplessness' what did Smith say about the black people if anyone and listened to that day in day out we will not be were we are now . Now stop this Mugabe father figure crap and look out for youselves for once .. FOCUS ON YOURSELVES NOT MOYO SAVIOU OR GRACE OF COURSE THEY WILL BRAG SO WHAT THEY HAVE NOT WON THE 2018 ELECTION YET. THEY ARE BOISTERIOUS OR THEY ARE WHERE THEY ARE NOW BECAUSE EVERYONE WORKED HARD FOR 2014 ELECTION ,MUJURU, NGWENA, AND RIGGING SO DO NOT FORGET THAT.

Yuba, am not sure if you grasped the gist of my argument. Its not tribal hatred but tribal facts that have shaped Zanu PF and the country. In fact you agree with me that it was a tribal card that won in 1980. However I don't agree with you that Mqabuko lost because he failed to campaign among shonas. That is being too simplistic. Zapu could not campaign among shonas because Zanla made these areas no go areas, with all night vigils ( so called Pungwes) and violence where anyone opposing Zanu was labelled mutengesi. That was the inception of Zanu's degrees of violence they use to win elections. That the shonas are responsible for this Mugabe nightmare is therefore a fact.

Rasta Hero - 14 February 2016

ZANU PF are an absolute disgrace to this beleaguered nation of ours. Not one of them demonstrates even the slightest bit of political maturity at a time like this when we are confronted by the worst famine in living history. Instead of planning and trying to work out ways of minimizing the effect of this looming disaster they spend all their time and energy fighting one another and caring about one thing only: themselves and their future. Anyone who ever thinks about voting for or supporting ZANU PF is just plain mad. They blame the former colonial powers for the terrible mess we are in when they are responsible for it. Unless we hoof them out our problems will continue and things will only get worse.

Phukit - 14 February 2016

The only option left team Ngwena is to remove Mugabe is to remove Mugabe from presidency , because whatever the Ngwena team does Grace and Bob stand in the way. They need to be removed out of power , forget the one centre of power crap ....Do wat you need to do to remove this poisinous couple

Option - 14 February 2016

The situation is dire, yet it is a defining moment for any political party to start a campaign trail. The mistake was done by VP EM himself by allowing the changes in the party constitution that allowed the president to have absolute power to appoint the rest of the leaders. What the First lady is doing is her right to campaign although it's not clear who she is campaigning for. Like what most of the observers have noticed VP EM if he is keep to be the king pin he has to get out and form his party openly and create structures. Any reasonable politician who will be able to change the situation in Zimbabwe now is not the one who will come talking about war credentials but the one who will give people a manifesto full of hope and things that he will do to alleviate the situation at ground. Zanu will definitely come guns blazing if u privately try to talk about becoming the president which is sad as we all know His excellence the President won't live forever but instead he should create a platform for all prospective successors to even battle it out in debates and tell the people what they are all about. The first family and the people on top are only interested in themselves and their interests only forget the man in the streets the VP EM included. Calling for congress will cause blood to shed. It might happen but with a lot of his sympathisers losing relatives or their on lives. VP EM is also part of the crew that deals with so called rebellious party members or members of the public so its a no holds bars. Zimbabwean people need to ask the question who has our interest at heart and many of these have been in Parliament for a long time what have they done for the mass and is there a chance of change even if they get the top job or its will still be a carry on? From the looks VP EM won't even last to the congress especially that they have mentioned such a plan.

Zim Analyst - 14 February 2016

Its true you reap what you sow, says the word of God. Lacoste is now being punished for what they did especially their God Father KigPin. He is good using people-but its now pay back time. Do you realise that your hand in the Zuwa Petroleum case has come to bite you. Thousands are jobless because of your hand in the Judiciary, the first lady said it that you own most of the companies you use people as your proxies-mining activities with the Macmillans in Kwekwe Mister ma Deals very selfish man. Your Colleagues in Lacoste Chinamasa, Wadyajena, Mutodi, all opposed to indiginazation, this group is no different from the Gammatox group all selfish. Ed has done a lot of harm to people in all walks of life he should go with the rest. Those affiliated to him God is going to deal with you all.

Tariro Shumba - 15 February 2016

party iya yazofa zvachose vakomana , ngaiende kumatunhu asina mvura

charamba - 15 February 2016

Rasta Hero said the truth. mugabe played the tribal game and all shona people fell for it. If Nkomo had won we would be far. He was demanding land in a genuinely sense not for politics. People must apologise if they were taken for a ride

mzikayifani - 15 February 2016

Tinoramba tichienda .

viola gwena - 15 February 2016

I smell a "coup"

Mukanya - 15 February 2016

Grace pleasestopplaying funny tricks with the Karanga folk.Please stop. They are the ones whostoodby your husband when he was under threat fromcoupplotters in Mozambique.Had it notbeen of Tongogara,Mugabe would be nothing,probably bones. The Karanga stillwield very strrong power as of now.Look at your security sector. Look at industry. Look at Universities. They are allaccupying influential posts. Karangas alsohave supoort fromNdebeles,their neighbours,including Manyikas. AlsopleaseGrace, you willseefire once Mugabe dies. Mark my words.

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